Wake me up
by windwingxs
Summary: Chapter 4 is up. A late night stroll into an ambush brings someone new into the life of Bunnie, but what secrets does this stranger hold, and why does he act so strangely? A fusion of Sonic the Hedgehog and Gungrave. Please give me some feedback!
1. Episode 1 Guardian

This fiction is a parody/cross over of both Sonic the Hedgehog (property of Sega, using Archie Comic's universe) and Gungrave (property of Red Entertainment). I make no profit from it, and it is purely for the enjoyment of the fans. Long live fanfiction and chocolate.

Episode 01 – Dawn / Guardian

A cool moonlight breeze ran swiftly through the great forest, sending chills down the girl's spine and ripples through her blonde fur as she walked. Try as she might, there was no rest in sleeping tonight. Too much was on her mind to allow anything close to rest. Haunted by loneliness, Bunnie walked aimlessly through the forest, always alone in the freezing night. It seemed like ages had passed since Antoine had left her, and even longer still since she had lost her arms and legs to Dr. Robotnik's infernal machine. The latter Bunnie had grown used to over time, but being alone after finding someone that liked her hurt more than losing parts of her body ever could. This is why she walked through the forest, long past midnight and without direction. And this is also why she didn't notice the Swat Bot squad that had been tailing her. In fact, the first clue she ever had was a Swat Bot's fist smashing into her side. She fell to the ground with a pained cry, rolling with the impact to escape a second blow. The pain cleared her head, adrenaline pumping into her veins and awakening her senses from their depressed slumber. Rolling to a crouching position with eyes darting in the darkness, she counted ten, no, twenty Swat Bots in front of her, and heard more moving in from behind.

'Uh-oh. This doesn't look good… Dang it! Ah shouda' paid more attention!'

Rising from the crouching position she had taken earlier, Bunnie did the only thing she could at that point, which was run. Using the boosters in her feet the blonde tried to get an advantage in altitude, but her attempt was cut short when one of the Swat Bots launched a grappling device that wrapped around her feet. The weight of the robotic minion was too much for her to drag along, let alone fly away with. More Swat Bots began crowding in, hands outstretched to restrain her and…

"No…!"

Desperately, Bunnie gripped the cord tying her to the droid, tearing at it in vain. They were closer now, only a few more feet away. And once they closed that gap, they would…

"NO! Sonic! Tails! Antoine! Anyone, help me! Help me!"

Her calls went unanswered. Another grapple fired, this one grasping her mechanical arm. She struggle harder, pulling at the cord with all her might. They closed in, the first reeling her in as the others moved, hands outstretched to grasp her struggling form. A cold fear filled Bunnie's heart as panic swept over her. Tears streaming down her cheeks, a mixture of hate and fear forced its way to the surface. One was within range now, it's had reaching, groping the air and trying to restrain her. She screamed … and the machine lost half its head with a deafening boom. More followed, cutting the robot to pieces. The other Swat Bots froze, searching for whatever was attacking them. Bunnie too looked, and found a figure in a long coat standing in the distance. Something - most likely a gun of some sort - flashed in his hand, and another of Robotnik's minions found a hole in itself. The machine crumbled under its own weight, and its brothers charged forward to seemingly avenge it. The figure's other weapon flashed as well, crossing in the process before continuing to fire over and over again. The machines fell under the onslaught of gunfire, shattering under the massive impacts and shattering from the sheer power of the weapons. In a spare moment, two shots were deliberately aimed at the cords which still held Bunnie in place. The cords were hit and she was freed, but her boosters were still active. Still frozen by a little of the panic and fear, she didn't react fast enough to stop herself, hitting a tree at full speed and knocking herself out as a result. The stranger continued firing, decimating the opposition with no hesitation or pity. The last machine fell to the ground, silenced forever by a hole in its processor. Heavy footsteps broke the peace that followed as the stranger walked through his fallen opponents, heading straight toward the girl that he had rescued. She was unconscious, but otherwise fine.

'…Where am … I…? Who… am I? I… can't seem to remember when it all… This girl… Why did I protect…? Protect? Protect… I don't remember… But to protect … is to never betray. Never.'

Sliding the monstrous handguns he held into holsters on his hips, the stranger lifted Bunnie into his powerful arms and began walking away from the destruction. They disappeared into the night with only the sound of his boots striking the ground…

* * *

It was morning now. No one had seen Bunnie since the night before, so Tails had been sent to check on her. Knocking at the door, he called to her over and over again with no response. Softly, he pushed against the door. It swung wide, revealing a room devoid of the person who normally lived there.

"Aw man, where could she be? Sally needed to talk with her too…"

Dejected, he walked away to find Sonic and Sally; Sonic so the blue blur could speed search the village for her, and Sally to deliver the bad news. Hopefully Sally wouldn't take it too hard, especially since whatever they had agreed to talk about was of personal importance to both of them. The young fox sighed. This was going to be a long day…

* * *

Elsewhere in the great forest, far away from Knothole village, sat huge vehicle. Resembling a giant semi-truck, it was covered in overgrown vines and moss, a sure sign that it hadn't moved in some time. One part that wasn't covered in vegetation was a door on the trailer's side, which was currently open. Inside the darkened vehicle, the missing person that soon most of Knothole village would be searching for began to awaken. Rubbing her eyes, Bunnie sat up from the bed she had been laid on. Not recognizing where she was, she began to panic until she noticed the blanket around her and the bandage on her head. Piecing what had happened together in her mind she calmed herself and guessed rightly that whoever had saved her earlier had also been kind enough to shelter her for the night. A quick look at her wrist proved to be depressing, as the communicator in her glove had been smashed by the impact. Removing the blanket from around her, she looked around and found that the walls were covered with computers, books, and lab equipment. Not finding anyone in her immediate vicinity, Bunnie got off the bed and began walking towards the open door in hopes of finding the stranger that had saved her. Her movement stopped when she heard something move from a darker part of the trailer. Turning, she moved to investigate it when the lights came on around her. She covered her eyes, shielding them from the harsh light that came from above. Eyes finally adjusting to the light, she dropped her hand only to bring it to her mouth in shock.

"…What…!"

Sitting in a chair with needles sticking into his wrists and neck was a huge grey wolf. Attached to the previously mentioned needles were bags filled with a red liquid, one that looked suspiciously like blood. The bags appeared to be draining into him, replacing the bodily fluid that had been lost. Shirtless at the moment, she could easily see numerous scars crossing his body, as well as several bullet wounds that had yet to heal, but were mysteriously not bleeding. Rhythmically, the wolf's well defined chest rose and fell as he slept. Perched upon his nose was a set of glasses, one side holding a black piece of metal with a white cross inscribed on it that covered a nasty looking scar over his left eye. Long locks of grey hair fell over his face, shielding most of face from Bunnie's view. At the wolf's booted feet was a plate of metal inscribed with large letters that read "Here sleeps Beyond the Grave". She stood, disturbed by his mutilated body and whatever deranged treatment he was going through.

"Uh… My God, he's --!"

Her words were cut off by the sound of pressure being released. She took a step back as the bags and needles were retracted, swinging mechanically into the wall behind the wolf. His eye opened, revealing a golden hued iris that stared tiredly at her. Saying nothing as he stood, the wolf reached for a shirt that had been carelessly tossed to the side and pulled it on. He towered a full foot over her when he got to his full height, grey locks of hair brushed aside as the long shirt slid over his battered body. A heavy looking leather coat was next, a gothic cross scrawled across the back and metal rings encircling the upper arm. Bunnie stared silently at him as he dressed, seemingly uncaring about whatever had just happened and oblivious to the fact that he had holes in his chest. Apparently finished dressing he turned, walking past her and out the door. Waking from her momentary stupor, Bunnie followed.

"Hey! Ah, uh, wanted to thank-ya for savin' me last night… What's your name?"

He stopped walking and spun to face her. He nodded slightly. "…Grave…" Without another word, he began walking away again.

Slightly unsure of what to do but fascinated and horrified by him, the curious rabbit followed the wolf known as "Beyond the Grave" into the forest. Several times Bunnie thought about asking him questions, but each time she though it better to stow them away for later. Silence prevailed.

* * *

Sonic stopped moving. While this wasn't an uncommon event, the reason for his ceased motion was. The sun had raised itself high into the sky, though lunchtime still hadn't passed, and still no one had seen hide nor hair of Bunnie. Sally and the others were worried, and had set up a few search parties to seek their lost friend. They all had orders to retreat if they ran into trouble, but Sonic knew he could deal with a few of 'Ro-butt-nik's machines. However, dealing with the robots he had found in the forest wasn't the problem. Figuring out what the heck had happened to them was. Chunks of metal had been torn asunder by something incredibly strong, and the results had not been pretty for the machines that the metal had belonged to. Sonic hunted around cautiously for any trace of Bunnie. He had found several casings in the grass, something that overlanders usually left behind after using one of their guns. Keeping that in mind, the hedgehog prepared for the worst as he searched around the combat zone, always fearing that he'd find the body of a good friend behind the next bush. The only thing he found however, was her hat…

"This is Sonic. I've found a ton of destroyed Swat Bots and Bunnies hat in my area… as well as a lot of bullet casings."

Rotor's voice crackled through the communicator on his wrist, confirming that he had been heard. "Bullet casings? I see. Are there any tracks around? Places in the ground were you can identify footprints from the person using the gun? We might be able to track whoever it was and see if they know where Bunnie is."

"Okay Rotor, but how do we know that this guy or group of guys didn't just take her out along with the bots?" Kneeling among the casings, he found several huge boot prints. Carefully, he followed them through the wreckage.

"I'm not sure Sonic… I'm just trying to hope for the best…"

"Well don't worry. I've found you're foot prints and I'm following them. Take care, Rotor."

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, Gravefinally stopped in front of an aged stone that had been set in the ground. Surrounded by leaves and fallen trees, it seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. From what Bunnie could tell, words had once been carved into it, but the elements had almost entirely erased their meaning. Approaching it, she tried to make out what it said.

"M-I-K-A… A-S….A-G-I.. Mika Asagi? Did ya know this person, Grave?" There was no response. "Grave?"

She turned and found that he was gripping his head in pain. His lips curled, bearing his fangs and allowing a heavy growl to escape his lips.

"Grave, are you okay!"

The growl softened, and he wasn't gripping his had as much anymore. Soon, he had stopped the odd behavior all together. The wolf shook his head negatively, but refused to give any explanation. He bent down, took a small rock in hand and began re-carving the name with a sharp edge. With his massive strength, it didn't take long for him to finish touching up the grave. He dropped the stone and turned, feeling around in the dead leaves for something. Then he found it and pulled. A heavy looking chain was pulled tight to something buried deep in the leaves, but eventually the mystery item was ripped free from the rotting leaves. A huge metal object came out of the leaves, a skull set into one end and several odd parts sticking out across it. It was huge, whatever it was, and had a machine gun sticking out of the skull end.

"My coffin…"

"Huh!" Bunnie kneeled next to him, inspecting it. "Your coffin? Ah wouldn't want ta be buried in somethin' like this…" She waited for a response of some sort, but he didn't say a word. "You don't talk much, do ya Grave?"

Grave smirked for a second, wrapping the chain around the metal rings on his arms and lifting it without a second thought. Bunnie could have sworn that the coffin weighed more than Grave, but he lifted it like a feather. Turning to her and helping Bunnie to her feet, Grave smiled fully before he started walking back the way they had come from. He stopped and raised an eyebrow when Bunnies stomach growled loudly. She blushed furiously.

"Uh, ya wouldn't happen ta know where some food is, would ya Grave…?"

* * *

It had been over an hour since Sonic had found the tracks, and he still had to move slowly so he didn't lose them. Moving slow wasn't something that he liked to do, obviously, but he had little choice in the matter. Spying something ahead in the forest, he quickened his pace slightly. The truck awaited him, it's door still wide open. Moving into it, he searched for any sign of Bunnie. A single bed and two chairs were the only furnishings besides the lab and computer equipment. The bed had obviously been slept in recently, and mostly likely by Bunnie because of the blond hairs scattered on the pillow. There was really no sign that anyone else had been there though…

"Hey Rotor! I've found some kinda vehicle out here. Looks like someone's been here recently, and there are two sets of tracks leading away. I'll search the tracks, again, if you'll come over here and check this thing out."

"Why would I need to check it out Sonic?"

"Because there's a bunch of computers in there, and I don't know how to work that kinda stuff…"

* * *

Bunnie was starving now. Grave kept on walking towards the truck, offering her a rest ever few minutes to help her conserve energy on the way, but they still kept moving. From the scenery, she guessed that it wouldn't be long until they reached the truck. Though Grave hadn't said anything, she silently hoped that there was some kind of food stored there. Thankfully, she spotted the silver and black colored vehicle in the distance and began to run toward it. Grave joined her, ignoring the huge coffin's weight and moving just as fast. He caught her however, stopping her before she could get any closer to the vehicle.

"What is it Grave…? Is there --"

He silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. She obeyed for the moment, deciding to give him some trust for saving her life. Reaching underneath his coat, Grave pulled out two huge handguns that were almost as long as his arms. One of the weapons was made with a white metal cross composing the main shaft, while its brother used a red. Seeing these reminded her of his rescue from the last night, causing that small bit of confusion to disappear. These were the weapons he had used to destroy the mob of Swat Bots. Whatever had Grave on edge wasn't going to like being on the receiving end. Motioning for her to stay in place, Grave quietly approached the truck. He heard voices inside, speaking about the computers. Not wasting any time, he spun into the doorway and leveled his guns. A purple walrus and a blue hedgehog were inside, caught completely off guard by the wolf's movement…

Episode 01 – Dawn / Guardian – Fin

Episode 02 – Admittance / Protector is next. "The wolf has awoken from his long slumber. But why has he woken up? Why protect? This is a wolf's decision…"

End Note: As my first Sonic fiction, I'd like to point out a few facts about myself before any large objects are thrown at me. It's been a while since I've read any of the Sonic or Knuckles comics, though I have purchased a few of them recently. Any out of contexts or falsities that I put in (inappropriate character actions, dialects, events, ect.) because of a lack of knowledge should be reported so I can fix it. A proof reader would be nice as well, but I'll take what I can get. Please give me some response, though.


	2. Episode 2 Protector

This fiction is a parody/cross over of both Sonic the Hedgehog (property of Sega, using Archie Comic's universe) and Gungrave (property of Red Entertainment). I make no profit from it, and it is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Responses:

**Find-the-Lion**: Thank-you for the review! Yes, Grave is a little different… but not in the ways you'd suspect. Of course, more of his past will be revealed as the story goes along, which will explain everything you need to know about the holes in him. And yes, that was blood in the bags, but I'm not telling you WHY he needed the blood. Yet another tidbit I'm saving for later.

Episode 02 – Admittance / Protector

There was a moment of complete stillness in the trailer. Sonic didn't move, gazing defiantly at the wolf in the doorway. Rotor just stared at the huge weapons he held, wondering how badly it would hurt to be hit with a blast from them. Grave glanced over them once or twice, sizing up their threat to himself and Bunnie. After a moment, he motioned with one of the weapons to move outside.

"…Well, if he wants us out, out we go!" Sonic shouted, going into a spin dash and slamming into the huge wolf. It knocked him to the ground, but he was up and firing in a moment. Sonic's pure speed saved him taking hits from the destructive bullets, but they were catching up rather quickly. Rotor saw this and acted, going out of the trailer, taking up a rock and throwing it to attract Grave's attention before diving back into the trailer for his own safety. Without looking, the wolf shot the rock out of the sky with one hand while continuing to fire on the hedgehog that had attacked him with the other. The low in Grave's firing gave Sonic an opening however, and the blue blur initiated a spin dash at the wolf once more. This time Grave was prepared however. With a mighty swing, the coffin wrapped around his arms swung around and smashed Sonic into a tree. To say that this hurt was an understatement, seeing as the tree behind him shattered from the impact. Granted, it wasn't a large tree and Sonic had still been spin dashing at the time, but the impact alone knocked the wind out of him. Hitting the ground with a loud thump, he lay in the grass stunned and breathless. A few heavy footsteps later and one of Grave's guns were pointed at his forehead.

"Grave, stop it! It's okay!" Bunnie shoved his gun to the side, half expecting the wolf to fire it. "It's okay. Ah know these guys… They're my friends…"

"…Friends…" Grave nodded and holstered his guns, a slight frown crossing his face.

"Yeah, friends, as in people who would like their friend back in one piece!" Sitting up with a groan, Sonic braced himself with one hand and rubbed his sore chest with the other. "What is that thing, anyway? It felt like you hit me with a sack of bricks!"

"Grave here said it was his 'Coffin', but..." Bunnie looked away, suddenly remembering the wounds that covered his body. She collected herself though, returning her attention to the conversation at hand. "Grave doesn't talk much either, so that makes it difficult to learn anything…"

"Hey, can I come out now, or should I just keep hiding in this thing?"

"Get out here Rotor. From the reception we received earlier, I'd say mister Grave likes his privacy." Sonic sighed, shaking his head. "We'd better make like a tree and leaf soon, otherwise Sally's going to go crazy."

"Oh! Ah forgot, we were supposed to meet, weren't we? Well, it's not like ah had a choice in the matter… But what about Grave? We can't just leave him out here all alone."

"No way, Bunnie." Rotor shook his head sadly as he approached the group, repositioning his hat as he walked. "You know our policies on guns! We can't bring him if he's carrying those!"

Bunnie sighed and turned to Grave, a frown on her face that spoke volumes. He nodded and set the coffin on the ground. Without warning, the eyes of the skull lit up and a compartment slid out to accept the massive weapons. He placed them inside and the compartment slid shut, sealing them in. Once more, he lifted the coffin and walked to the truck. He entered, and the sound of machines working could be heard as he stored it. A few moments later, Grave reappeared from the truck wearing a long trench coat instead of the heavy black coat from before. A smile and a nod to Bunnie confirmed that he was ready to leave.

"…Okay…" Sonic shrugged, "let's get moving! Just sitting here and chit-chatting isn't too fun, you know?"

* * *

Deep within the metal city that he had made, Dr. Robotnik was once again working on his nefarious schemes. Though his attempt at capturing one of the so called freedom fighters had failed, he was still determined to get more and better troops. In truth, either would work at this point. It had long been proven that that blue brat named Sonic could handle his Swat Bot troops, which was why he had been more than happy to accept an offer from someone else. A man by the name of Fangoram had appeared one day, carrying a huge cross shaped cannon on his shoulder and a case filled with research materials. Of course, the doctor had suspicions about the stranger, but after being held at the business end of the cannon while Fangoram explained the arrangement he accepted him quite willingly. The case had been left behind, filled with samples of what the man had called SEED and a ream of papers devoted to its study.

"Now, let's see what this drug does…"

The madman grinned as a helpless squirrel was held in place by restraints, a syringe of SEED being lowered into it by a mechanical arm. Safe behind a wall of steel and bullet proof glass, he watched as the drug was injected into it. For a few moments there was no change except for the innocent animal's initial squeal of pain from the syringe, but eventually its vital signs faded… The squirrel was dead.

"…What the … The research said that SEED would cause it to mutate, not die! Darn that Fango--!"

His words were cut off by a monstrous growl coming from the containment room. The squirrel moved, struggling against it's restraints as it came back to life. The once peaceful creature's eyes turned a menacing blood red as its muscles grew, spikes raising themselves from the legs, arms, back, and even the head in a gruesome display of SEED's power. The now mutated creature gave a horrific screech as it ripped free from the restraints and began clawing at the glass, desperate to kill something, anything. Tapping a button on his console, a poisonous gas drifted into the chamber and killed the creature within minutes of inhalation. Sitting in his chair, the doctor pondered. He had not read all of the texts yet, but that would come in due time. For now, he needed more test subjects. Preferably larger ones that could be used to attack the Acorn group that had bothered him for so long.

"Yes… YES! If I can capture one of those furred idiots, I'll have a killing machine that even Sonic would be incapable of defeating! That is, of course, if Fangoram wasn't lying. This is excellent… All I need is one. One of them, and to find that wolf Fangoram mentioned…"

Smiling, he abandoned his chair and began walking to an elevator. One that would take him to a hanger filled with his newest inventions and a hundred Swat Bots that had been in storage for such a time as this…

"Yes… I will have one of them… And then, I will have all of them!"

* * *

There was a pressing silence as the search parties returned. Greetings were spoken in soft tones, followed by whispered stories of a murderous wolf who had tried to kill Sonic. Grave watched and heard it all, his extreme sense of hearing letting him know what they thought of him. Rotor had taken his leave of the group, citing his need to continue research forgotten in the day's panic. Deciding to grab something to eat before she starved to death, Bunnie stopped the group at a vendor, grabbing a couple chili dogs for the three of them. Strangely though, Grave raised his hand when she offered him one, refusing it.

"What's the matter Grave? Ah know ya gotta be hungry after all that walking and no breakfast or lunch!" Bunnie frowned as he shook his head, worried for the wolf's health.

"Jeez, not wanting a chili dog?" Sonic grimaced, put off by the obvious dislike for – in his opinion – the greatest food on Mobius. "You're a crazy wolf, Grave. No one in their right mind could refuse a chili dog." Amazingly, Grave smiled at that. He shook his head once more and shrugged, as if saying that maybe he was crazy. Sonic grinned, noticing he hadn't taken the joke personally. "Oh well, more for me!"

Bunnie sighed at this, handing over the food before Sonic took her hand with it. She though over Grave's oddness as she ate, trying to figure out why he acted the way he did. 'That stuff that was being put in him might have somethin' to do with it… But he's always so quiet! Why is that? It's like he doesn't have a voice, but ah know he does. He so strange, but… he still protected me. Ah don't even know why he did what he did, and ah don't know where he came from either. Ah wonder what Sally's gonna say when we talk to her about this.'

* * *

"Hey Sally gal! We found Bunnie all in one piece and brought her back, just like you wanted." Mindless of etiquette as always, Sonic entered the throne room without waiting to be let in. Smiling at Sally and Antoine, he presented Bunnie and Grave to them in a grand fashion, sweeping his hands toward them as if presenting the previously lost rabbit on a platter. "And we even found ourselves a wolf in the woods too!"

Sally sighed at Sonic's antics, but smiled as Bunnie walked forward to speak with her. "I'm glad you're safe Bunnie. Sorry if it seems like I'm killing you with questions, but what happened out there? I was told that Overlanders and robots might have had something to do with it, but I was never given any specifics. And who's the new friend?"

"It's a long story. You sure you wanna sit through it?"

Sally laughed, a happy sound that Sonic hadn't had the pleasure of hearing in some time. "Sure. I have time to spare right now."

"But Princess," Antoine protested, "we've ztill got ze report from --!"

"That can wait Antoine. I really want to hear what happened, okay? Don't worry about that stuff when something important like this comes up. It is just a status report, right?"

Antoine looked over the reports. "Well, yes, but ze…"

"Please Antoine, we needed a break anyway. We've been going through these reports for an hour already. We can finish them in the morning."

Relenting at last, he gathered the papers and turned to leave. "As you wish, Princess… But do remember that zey wanted a response right away." With that he left the room, giving Grave an odd look as he passed. No one noticed however.

Sally nodded as he left the room. "Anyway, shall we?"

"Right, what happened." Bunnie nodded, collecting her thoughts. "Well, ah couldn't sleep too well last night, so ah decided ta take a walk and see if that tuckered me out enough to get some rest. Ah guess ah wasn't payin' enough attention, because the next thing ah knew, there were Swat Bots all around me. I tried to get away, but a few of 'em had grapples. Must've had heavier armor too, since they weighed me down like a ton a bricks. Well, I was scared out a my wits that they were gonna get me for sure when Grave here," she pointed over her shoulder, indicating the tall wolf, "came outta nowhere and shot 'em all to pieces."

"Shot?" Sally raised an eyebrow at that. "He was using an overlander's weapon?"

Bunnie hesitated. "Ah ain't sure about that… Looked like he knew how to use them pretty well, like they'd always been his. Maybe somebody made them for him." She shrugged and continued on, "Anyway, ah got knocked out during the fight, so I guess Grave took care of me for the night." She flashed him a smile, and he silently smiled back at her. "After that, we wandered around for a while until Grave found some rock with a name on it. Ah guess it was a burial ground for someone he knew, but it looked like he hadn't been there in a long time. Got what he called his 'Coffin' while we were there too. Sonic knows all about that."

"Uh-huh." Sonic nodded, rubbing his side again and feeling the bruises the impact had left behind. "Whacked me right in the side with it before Bunnie could tell him to stop. The thing was huge!"

"Grave has a good judge of character I see." Sally covered a laugh that Bunnie joined in on, obviously sharing some kind of inside joke. Sonic rolled his eyes, not getting it while Grave stood stone still. "Thank you Bunnie. Grave, I guess we owe you some thanks for saving my friend!"

The wolf shook his head, smiling and closing his eye. "To protect continually is to never betray. Never betray…"

Sally stopped smiling. Tilting her head to the side, she stared at him with a confused expression covering her face. "What do you mean, Grave…?"

Grave frowned slightly, looking down and shaking his head slightly. "I will protect … always … I will not betray."

"Grave?" Bunnie too frowned, concerned with what e was saying. "Hey, ah know ya wouldn't betray us. Ya already protected me once, and that was more than enough. But… are you really going to stay here and protect us?"

She blushed when he smiled at her. He nodded without a moment's hesitation, for Grave was an honorable wolf, and honorable wolves keep their word no matter the cost.

* * *

Gleefully, Doctor Robotnik continued typing out his plans. A few idle clicks of his boots against the floor and the furious sound of his fingers striking keys filled the air. Soon the plan had been completed and sent to his minions, the programming taking over immediately. A hundreds of footsteps marched in unison, stepping forward with a singular purpose. Mass produced robots armed with nets, grapples, and shock guns moved toward the great forest with grim intent written into their coding. Behind them, a single air unit moved with the utmost care. Unlike the shock troops below it, it carried a rapid fire energy cannon to dispatch it's foes with. Hovering above the rest, it served only one purpose that was of extreme importance to the mission. Retrieval of samples…

The room was empty except for the two females that had often come together to talk about anything and everything. After the meeting, Sonic had taken Grave out of the equation by offering to show the wolf around, leaving the two girls to the talk they had planned on having that morning.

"Grave seemed a bit… strange. He doesn't talk a lot, does he?"

"Sally, ya don't know the half of it…" Bunnie smiled guiltily for a second, realizing just how much she had omitted earlier. "He isn't willing to explain himself though… Ah think if we got more information about him, we might figure out a thing or two. Maybe there's some in that truck of his…"

"Why don't you and Rotor go back out there tomorrow? Grave can go too if he wants. Other than this whole protecting thing, he really has no allegiances to us."

"Well, that's true. Yeah, I think we'll go out there. Maybe I'll find some answers there. So, how's it going for you? I mean with Sonic?"

"We're still… distanced…"

"Yeah, ah figured as much. But don't give up, okay? Ya can still make it work."

"I know… But what about you? I know Antoine isn't interested in love right now… Too busy I suppose."

Bunnie, surprisingly, smiled softly. "That's okay… Ah ain't alone anymore, you know? Grave… He won't leave me, and neither will you. Ah am sure of it!"

Episode 02 – Admittance / Protector fin

Episode 03 – Wolf's prerogative / Shield is next. "A scent from long ago permeates the air. Something is coming. Will the wolf rise against the past? This is a wolf's decision…"

End note: Wow. I got this one out pretty fast… Don't expect me to keep being this fast with updates. I've been known to slow down considerably once I get into the middle of the story.


	3. Episode 3 Shield

This fiction is a parody/cross over of both Sonic the Hedgehog (property of Sega, using Archie Comic's universe) and Gungrave (property of Red Entertainment). I make no profit from it, and it is purely for the enjoyment of the fans, as well as developing my own writing technique.

Responses:

**DarkFusion**: Thanks for the reviews! Yes, Shadow, Amy, Rouge, and a few more characters from the Sonic Adventure series have made their way into the comics. I don't plan on using Rouge, but I do have plans to involve Amy in the story. As for the malcontent Hedgehog, I'm undecided on how large his involvement will be… Still, seeing as Grave and Shadow's color schemes are undeniably similar… Hm. We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

Episode 03 – Wolf's prerogative / Shield

Some distance from Knothole village, watching the robotic troops move with little enthusiasm, the giant of a man called Fangoram shifted listlessly.

"Graaavve….

His voice gurgled as the mask over his jaw and mouth jostled slightly, eyes sharpening as he stared down at the village. Yes, he knew where the traitor was hiding. This time however, the time and place would be of his choosing, not of someone else's. This time Grave would die, for there is no mercy when dealing with a traitor. Black hat and coat wavering in the wind, his eyes focused in on the wolf. He stood with a female Rabbit, and there was also a Pink Hedgehog in the vicinity as well… Memories of his past encounters with the Wolf nicknamed 'Death' brought new ideas to mind. Dastardly ones that could break Grave's soul, but he would first need to confirm his suspicions. Just who was that wolf protecting now? That would decide who died…

* * *

Night had overcome the day once more. As the last burning embers of the dying sun sank into the horizon, Bunnie slipped into her bed and felt sleep overcoming her. She idly mused about Grave, his refusal to eat, and his involvement in the fight against Robotnik. Grave was incredibly strong, but what could that do against an army of mechanical soldiers? Because of the rules, he could never use his guns to defend her or anyone else. How could he protect them? Why was he so insistent on protecting them?

"Just who are you… Grave?"

With no answers, she drifted peacefully into dreamland.

' … What is my name? ... Who am I…?'

* * *

Grave too was confronting his own questions. Sitting in a chair outside of Bunnies home, he stared into the distance. He did not need to sleep, he did not need to eat, and he did not need to drink. He remembered feeling the need for these things sometime in the past, but they were no longer necessary.

'But why…?' Memories played through his mind, biting into his consciousness as they passed before his eyes. Memories of a group of young punks in a town called Station Square. One in particular stood out, a wolf in a ragged white suit. 'Harry… Harry McDowell…' Another, older dog in a black suit and red tie also came to mind, far different from the others. Yes, he remembered this person's name. 'Big Daddy… and…' The image changed into a picture of that wolf, standing happily with a pink Hedgehog in a scenic background. 'Maria…' Memories of a pink hedgehog with long quills, almost as long as the blue hedgehog named Sonic, began to surface in his mind. It was snowing…

"Brandon, did you get in another fight?"

"Maria…" His hair was black, no longer the deep grey that it had been. A snowy park and… Maria. She hugged him, so warm against his chest. He knelt down in the snow, holding her close… until it all changed. A garage, several chairs and a lantern surrounded them. The girl, still in his arms, but her face was replaced with that of a younger hedgehog, this one with shorter quills that had grey tips.

"Mika…" He breathed the word, remembering her face once more.

Tears streaming down her face, Mika pulled herself tight against him. She was shaking, scared for a reason he couldn't see. "… So please, don't go anywhere! I really love you! I… love you!"

'She… is crying? Did I go somewhere? No… She went where I belong… Mika…'

"Bye Ash! Bye Mina! See you tomorrow!" Waving one last time to her friends, Amy Rose began running home. The vision faded to nothing as Grave looked at her, seeing the faces and bodies of Maria and Mika pass over her.

'What is this … Am I having a dream? A dream… No. This is real. She isn't Mika… She is someone else…'

He smiled as the pink hedgehog passed, and she waved happily to him in return. He would have waved back, but she had already passed the house before he could. He sighed and returned his attention to the nothingness of the forest. Grave let himself drift, taking in the scents, sights, and sounds of the land around him. Quietly, the sun finally disappeared into the horizon completely, giving way to another moonlit night.

* * *

A ghoulish howl shook Bunnie out of her sleep. Opening her eyes, she slipped out of bed and into a robe she kept handy for times like these. Stepping outside, she found Grave in a defensive stance.

"Grave… It's past midnight, what are ya doing!"

His only answer was a sudden tackle, sending both of them back into her residence. The sudden movement knocked the wind out of her, head spinning as several dull thuds echoed in the small house. Craning her head, Bunnie spotted two metal rings stuck in the wall. Before she could question the massive wolf who was still on top of her, Grave rolled to the side of the doorway and pulled her along. Several more rings slammed into the floor, making small indents where they struck.

'Knock Out rounds…' Grave nodded sagely, looking for anything that he could use as a weapon. His ears were working overtime, trying to count the footsteps throughout the village. '…Four here, dozens more all around…'

Bunnie's breathing quickened. A thousand thoughts poured through her mind, trying to figure out what was going on and how to warn the others. "Grave, who is it? What's goin' on?"

He grabbed her hand, gently pulling Bunnie to her feet before rushing through the doorway and taking two of the rings in the chest. To the Swat Bot's misfortune, they had no effect other than making him angry. With a heavy roar, Grave leapt into the air and landed on one of the tin soldiers, crushing its head and part of the chest as well. Rolling as the defeated robot crashed to the ground, he grabbed its arm and violently swung it toward another enemy, the two exploding on impact. He turned, saw, moved as the other two Swat Bot's fired their own weapons. Rolling and running toward the mecha with an untamed rage, Grave bared his teeth as he drop kicked the nearer of the two, twisting the shock rifle out of the downed robot's hand and firing it into the other's face. The red visor that decorated its face shattered, the machine falling on its back before having a fist planted firmly in its chest. The wolf stood, breathing only slightly faster than he normally would. Grave turned, ears searching for the next group of opponents. Far off, he heard the familiar sound of a spin dash attack and knew that Sonic had been roused from his slumber. Even so, there were far too many enemies spread around the village. Someone would be taken if they didn't act quickly. He ran, deep breaths feeding his muscles and fueling his speed. There was work to be done…

* * *

Panic had swept through Knothole when the first screams were heard. Sonic hand immediately put himself to use, speeding around the village and spreading word before going on the offensive against Robotnik's minions. Tails too was helping as he could, along with a few other mobians who chose to stand up to the infernal machines. Unfortunately, several groups had been cut off from the center of the village, where everyone was gathering. Some escaped into the forest, others hiding in their houses or their neighbors and hoping that the robots would just pass them by. One group, however, was trying to break through. Three youths who normally would have been carefree had settled into a far more serious state of mind. Ash peered out the window, keeping low to avoid detection. Several squads of Swat Bots had already passed their location, but Ash had a sneaking suspicion that they couldn't remain hidden long.

Mina slid along the wall, stopping next to him. "Ash, what's going on?" she whispered, voice filled with fear.

"I'm not sure. We need to get out of here, fast! After the next group passes, I'll make a run for it and try to distract any that see me. You two follow after its safe, okay?"

"But Ash, what if they catch you? I…"

"Don't worry Mina. I won't get caught. You two just make sure you get to safety. Just don't stop!" And with that, the boy ran to the door and began running, attracting as much attention as possible. It only took a few seconds for a team of Swat Bots to notice him. All he could do was run, trying to avoid their fire…

"Mina, they're gone! Come on!"

Mina, however, wasn't moving. She gripped the door, on the verge of opening it and running but refusing to. "What about Ash? He can't outrun them forever!"

"He knew that when he went out there! Do you want to waste the chance he gave us!" Amy was shoving her, trying to move her out the door, but the lavender haired girl refused.

"I just… I can't--!"

Unfortunately, they hadn't bothered to keep their voices down. A canister broke the window, flooding the room with tear gas. Jarred out of their argument, they foolishly ran out the front door and were hit with several stun rounds before they could escape. Cold hands grabbed them, taking them to the retrieval unit. Ash would soon fall to the same fate…

* * *

Another head was crushed in Grave's mighty fist. Thirty of the machines had easily fallen to his strength, but he knew there were more. Why they were pulling back now was still a mystery, but that would be solved soon enough. Walking through the paths of Knothole Village, he soon found a group of Swat Bots retreating out of the town. Going into a 'hunting mode' of sorts, Grave followed them unnoticed even by their advanced sensors. It didn't take a genius to know that they were headed for the edge of the forest, and the Wolf's sensitive ears easily picked up the sound of an aircraft beyond the trees.

'…They want to capture them, and… do what?' Whatever it was, Grave didn't want to find out. He closed in, preparing to strike when a scent drifted into the air from upwind. He had smelled it before, and time after time it seemed to haunt him. Turning, he looked into the trees. Saw nothing. But it was still enough. Something or someone had been injected with Seed… But that didn't matter. He already had business to attend to. Ignoring the scent, he pressed on even as the sound of rapid gunfire echoed throughout the forest...

Laughing as he held the trigger button down, madman extraordinaire Dr. Robotnik watched through the mechanical eyes of his personal Air Transport Vehicle, which he hand codenamed "The Hawk", as it mowed down a good patch of trees for a landing zone. Though not an avid pilot himself, the doctor did enjoy any recreation he could get, which normally involved destroying or researching something.

"Nothing like a good bit of target practice in the middle of the night!"

He continued his insane cackling and hideous one-liners as the forest below the craft was quickly shredded by the cannon mounted on it's underside. Thankfully, he stopped when the area that had been sanitized was large enough to land the craft. Robotnik let out an aggravated sigh as he punched the landing coordinates into his console, easing away from the controls and relaxing a bit. Not even a minute had passed before the three subjects were loaded onboard … and only a few seconds later until the Swat Bots retreating from the surprise attack reported that they were being damaged.

"Humph. That blue idiot is getting in the way again… Let's see if this doesn't shake him up a bit!"

A finger slammed down on the self destruct button for a particular squad of Swat Bots…

…and just as Grave smashed one of the robots to the ground with a large branch, the group he had been attacking stopped. He stared at them as their visors began blinking rapidly. A surge of instinct and adrenaline overcame him as he realized what was happening, diving away from the Swat Bots as they exploded in unison. Several fragments of metal impacted him, but the suicide attack as a whole didn't faze him. Carelessly, he tossed the limb to the ground and began the chase anew. Heavy footsteps, their noise drowned out by the sound of the aircraft's engine, rapidly approached the clearing that Robotnik had created…"How? How did that Hedgehog survive! Bah… It doesn't matter. I've already obtained one sample… I doubt we'll load the other two in time. Alright! Lift-off!" 

He activated the pre-programmed liftoff sequence before typing in another one, laying out a plan to destroy the other two captured rodents with the four Swat Bots that were holding them.

Unfortunately for the mad doctor's schemes, Grave smashed his boots into the shoulders of two Swat Bots, causing them to act like dominos and knock over their twins in the process of falling over. He moved swiftly, gathering the two girls from where they had fallen before the machinations could recover from the blow. He lifted them, one in each arm, and began walking away. It wasn't until Grave heard the aircraft behind him lifting off that he took heed of it, and luckily he still had time enough to dodge the volley of plasma fire that lanced from its cannon. Having no weapons to use against the machine and carrying the burden of the two adolescent Freedom Fighters left little choice in what the wolf would do next. He ran, even though his heart screamed at him to remain and destroy. Grinding his teeth, Grave ran all the way back to Knothole. The sun began to rise.

* * *

A meeting had been called after the attack finally ceased. A large oak table, finely polished and highly decorated for its sacred duty, was currently being used as a conference table. Almost everyone had coffee or tea to soothe their nerves, and more was being prepared as the core group of Freedom Fighters found their seats. Sally, of course, took the head seat, Antoine to her left, and Sonic to her right. Rotor, Bunnie, Tails and a few others were also present. No one was eager to talk.

"………"

"So…" Sonic frowned, trying to create words in his mind but failing to communicate what he felt.

Sally understood however, even with the unfinished sentence. "…Do we know what happened?"

Antoine sighed. "Yes and no. Ze Zwat Botz appeared in the midst of the night, taking us off guard and easily breaking our defensez. Zanks to Bunnie and Sonic's quick reaction, however, we are only mizzing three persons. Zeveral injuries were reported, but zat is to be expected."

"Actually," Bunnie looked toward the door, avoiding Antoine's gaze, "Grave was the one who woke me up… And he also distracted the Bots while Ah got away, and rescued Mina and Amy. But…"

Tails nodded. "No one has seen him since. He just dropped them off and walked into the forest without a word."

"Unfortunately, we don't have time to worry about Grave." Rotor nodded to Bunnie, frowning. "I'm sure he has his own plan, but we need one of our own. We know Robotnik captured at least one of the missing persons, so we've got to form a rescue plan. Any ideas?"

"Well, we've done it before, right?" Sonic grinned, confident. "We've just got to figure out a new way to do it, since that stupid Robotnik probably sealed up all of our previous entries. And if he didn't, he's probably set a trap there."

"Right. We've got to find a way in." Sally nodded, smiling for a moment before becoming serious once more. "But there's no way we can try a direct approach. I'm sure Dr. Robotnik has something waiting for us if we try that… "

Sally trailed off as she saw something huge standing in the doorway. The single lens of his glasses flared as Beyond the Grave stepped into the room, dressed in a western themed outfit that was dominated by crosses. Hanging hard across his back was the coffin that he had left behind, the chain wrapped around leather patches on his upper arm. Strangely, four eerie lights on the skull side of the coffin had turned on, burning an ominous orange in the silent room.

"…G-grave?"

He nodded, smiling softly. "I'm going. I will finish this." He turned. Walked out. Bunnie gave chase, as did Sonic. The others stood, as if waiting for a sign. None came.

Episode 03 – Wolf's prerogative / Shield fin

Episode 04 – Maul / Seed is next. "Gunshots are the sound. Defeat is the result. Will he continue his murderous path? This is a wolf's decision."

Author's note: Something just didn't feel right about this chapter, but… I'm still going to put it up. Send your responses if you feel up to it.


	4. Episode 4 Seed

This fiction is a parody/cross over of both Sonic the Hedgehog (property of Sega, using Archie Comic's universe) and Gungrave (property of Red Entertainment). I make no profit from it, and it is purely for the enjoyment of the fans, along with developing my writing technique.

Episode 04 – Maul / Seed

A group of villagers had gathered around the huge red motorcycle that Grave had ridden in on. They dispersed, of course, when the Wolf returned and roughly set his coffin down in the side car. The old machine groaned under the strain, but amazingly held. He was about to mount the bike when he heard a voice calling out to him.

"Grave! Grave, wait!"

He stopped and turned as Bunnie approached, casting a questioning glance in her direction. To her credit, Bunnie didn't immediately scold Grave for going on what was apparently a suicide mission without support. That waited until after she had slapped him, which inadvertently sent his glasses flying.

"You said you weren't gonna leave me! An' that's just what you were about to do!"

Unfazed by the slap, Grave shook his head before stooping to pick up his glasses. "I will return, because I will protect you."

"A lotta people've said that! Or something close ta that… They all got captured and Roboticized… Like Ah almost was…" Lifting her metal arm, Bunnie stared at it with little enthusiasm. "And… and Ah don't want to happen to you!"

"Bunnie!" Sonic quickly set a hand on Bunnie's shoulder, grabbing her attention with just as much force as calling her name had. "I don't think yelling at him will change his mind! Ease up!"

"But Ah --! …Ah guess you're right… Ah'm sorry…" Pacified for the moment, Bunnie took a step back and looked at the ground. The rocks and dirt there were extremely interesting until Grave's hand clasped her shoulder softly. "…Grave…"

"…You're rules say that you cannot use weapons, but Princess Sally does not see me as one of you… I can fight at full strength because of this, so don't worry." He squeezed her shoulder one more time before mounting the bike and starting it, the aged machine sending a choked roar that reached throughout the village as its engine began moving once again. "…Goodbye…"

The engine roared once again as Grave planted his boot on the accelerator. A cloud of dust followed him as he rode away, leaving Bunnie and Sonic standing alone. A short silence that followed was about to get longer, but a grunt from the blue Hedgehog ended it.

"Grave's got guts, I'll give him that! I'm going with him!"

Bunnie's head snapped away from the receding dust cloud, looking wide-eyed at her companion. "Sonic, are you out of your mind?"

"Nope!"

He smiled before dashing off, following the wolf's path. Bunnie bowed her head, grinding her teeth before crying out. "You're both idiots! And so am Ah!" Foot thrusters burning, she gave chase.

* * *

Syringes. They were everywhere, attached to mechanical arms along with a variety of other tools. They were not meant to help Ash, however. No, Dr. Robotnik would never allow his precious instruments to help the inhabitants of Knothole Village. They were created to serve their master, and they were doing just that. Though trapped in a tank and surrounded by a clear liquid turned red by the surrounding lighting, Ash still found himself thinking about Mina, and what he planned to do when the others rescued him. Others meaning the Freedom Fighters of Knothole Village of course. Unfortunately, his planning was interrupted by a one of the previously motionless Syringe arms moving to the side of the tank, where a vial waited. The needle entered the vial, pulling out the blue liquid before returning to Ash and plunging itself into his chest. Had he been able to, he would have cursed loudly at the madman sitting just beyond the glass, but something within the injection made him drift into a very deep sleep. That was when it started…

* * *

Grave stopped the bike a good distance from his target. It wasn't that he didn't want to be detected by his foe; he just wanted his ride home to be intact when he returned. That idea soon disappeared however, when his foe from the previous night rose above the metal skyline and began blasting his general area. This, unfortunately, destroyed the bike within seconds. On the bright side, Grave had just enough time to slam his coffin into the ground and use it as a shield before the energy bursts hit. The attacks bounced harmlessly off of Grave's coffin, often hitting the ground and sending huge plumes of dust into the air. The wolf waited until the barrage subsided, then lifted the coffin out of the ground as his guns shifted out of coffin holsters. With a speed that rivaled Sonic's feet, his mighty hands curled around the grips, yanked them out and began firing on the aircraft as the dust cleared away. With both the Left and Right head of Cerberus roaring as he repeatedly pulled the triggers, Grave centered his aim on what would have been the cockpit of the machine, hammering it over and over again with massive slugs specifically designed for the twin firearms. Even with the sheer power of these weapons the armor covering the Hawk barely bent in response, much less broke under the onslaught. Realizing this, Grave changed his tactics. Shoving the weapons in their respective hip holsters, he swung the coffin from its hanging position on his back to the top of his shoulder. The eyes of the skull blazed as the metal shifted, revealing a mean looking RPG Launcher in the opposite end while a handle and trigger mechanism popped out below it. Hunkering down, Beyond the Grave gripped the handle and raised his aim…

In his control room, Dr. Robotnik was only able to get one thought out before the Wolf pulled the trigger. '…This cannot be a good thing…'

Grave's entire body rocked with the recoil as the Grenade launched, rushing toward its target and slamming dead-on into the front of the aircraft as its shell was ejected from the coffin. Milliseconds later it exploded, destroying the entire front end of the machine before the blast died down. Needless to say, the Hawk sunk like a rock without its control systems to support it, letting another cloud of dust fill the air as it smashed into the ground. With yet another burning hulk of metal in front of him, Grave let the coffin return to its normal form and slid it to the resting place on his back. Almost unnoticeably, one of the lights on the coffin dimmed slightly. He pushed up his glasses before walking away from the warped remains of the machine Dr. Robotnik had so carefully crafted.

"…I liked that bike…"

With gloved hands he reached again for his guns, pulling them out of their holsters before letting them hang at his side. He moved toward what appeared to be the front gate, watching it with a piercing eye as he approached it. Grave paused as the gate began to move, sliding slowly into the ground with a wail akin to that of fingernails against a chalk board. The wolf continued walking, gaze sharpening even further as the gate finally reached bottom. A tunnel greeted him, one filled with Swat Bots armed to the teeth. He raised his weapons, aiming with deadly accuracy that could not be matched. That's when the bullet casing began to fall in a brass rain, and flashes of burning gunpowder accompanied by the thunder like echoes kept a steady beat as the battle progressed. Several violet beams shot out from the metal soldiers, but a well timed swing of his coffin deflected the deadly rays away. As the coffin swung back Grave shoved the Cerberus into their holsters and caught the massive weapon by the pistol grip, the end opposite of the skull bottomed out slightly with the machine gun end extended forward. There was no hesitation as Grave pulled and held the trigger, liberally spraying the lifeless soldiers with armor piercing rounds that punched through dozens of them at a time. When the last Swat Bot spasmed and fell to the floor in pieces, the mighty wolf released his coffin. The entire hallway, once filled with Robotnik's minions, was now littered with shrapnel. Wordless, Grave continued into the fortress, his nose leading him to the fear he had just created…

* * *

Sonic and Bunnie found Grave's bike burning in the wastelands. A bit mortified, Bunnie had immediately raced over to the remains in search of the Wolf, but stopped when she noticed the other burning pile of scrap metal.

"Well, I guess that proves he can take care of himself, eh Bunnie?"

She shook her head at the Hedgehog, smiling a bit as a thank-you. The echo of gunfire across the barren plains removed that smile, however. "We've still got to catch up, and from the sound of it, pretty soon!"

They raced on, following the path of destruction.

* * *

Grave was a blur of motion, firing in almost every direction as mechanical minions poured into the room. It was almost like a dance as he spun, sidestepping a roboticization beam, back-flipping over a rocket while destroying another tin soldier with a bite from Cerberus. His boots crushed half a dozen shells each as he landed, the twin pistols ejecting even more brass as he continued the attack. Before long the room was filled with smoke, the unmistakable smell of gunpowder, burning silicone, and sweat. Grave relaxed for a moment, letting his senses rest as he sniffed the air. Yes… his prey was close now. Just a few more rooms and Dr. Robotnik would be within his reach.

"Grave!" Bunnie's voice pierced the air, and he turned to see both her and Sonic cautiously approaching.

Sonic was all smiles, seemingly unafraid of their surroundings though he knew they were right in the heart of Robotnik's power. "Wow, man. That was some wicked gunplay. Where'd you learn all those fancy moves, Grave?"

"…Experience…" Grave shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

"Heh, should have known..." The blue blur nodded, smirking.

"…We're close. Be careful."

Bunnie nodded. "We will Grave. Sonic and I can handle ourselves if things get rough."

The Wolf smiled and turned, walking on. The two Freedom Fighters kept pace with him, eyes bouncing to every dark corner that they came near. Amazingly, there were no surprises thrown at them, only a huge metal door. One door wasn't going to stop the wolf however. With a few mighty swings of his coffin, Grave brought the door down.

"Wow. That's one heck of a knock! Anyone home…?" Sonic chuckled at his own joke, but suddenly stopped when he noticed the figure waiting for them on the other side. "Oh great. It's Metal."

The twin heads of Cerberus were locked on the metal being, which carefully eyed Grave in return. There was a deafening boom as two bullets raced from the barrels, streaking toward the mockery of Sonic. They never reached their target however, as an electromagnetic shield forced them off course. The Wolf grimaced.

"Well, looks like it's time for a little fun, eh Metal? Grave, you take Bunnie and go after Ro-butt-nik; I'll handle this fake!" Before anyone could voice disagreement or caution, Sonic charged at his nemesis. The two crashed together with a bang, their fists and feet swinging at speeds Grave had never thought possible. He didn't hesitate for more than a moment however, grabbing Bunnie's wrist and dragging her toward the next room at a full sprint.

"_Hedgehog, your time has come to an end!_" The mechanical mockery punctuated the remark with a massive roundhouse, which hit nothing but air.

"Not if you're going to use moves like that!" Sonic smirked, giving the robot a knuckle sandwich that sent it rolling. "Let's get serious Metal. It's been a while, after all, and I'd hate to disappoint Robotnik by not showing up before the fireworks are over!"

* * *

The fear was close. Grave could feel it filling the air as they approached the end of the hallway. Something wasn't right though. A familiar smell permeated the air… They stopped just after passing through the gate, Bunnie's jaw going slack at the horrid sight. A gate slammed down behind them, sealing the two in.

"Oh mah God… Ash!" Bunnie could still vaguely recognize his figure, even beneath the mass of muscle and spines that now covered his body. "…What in the world happened…!"

It struck Grave suddenly, the memories overwhelming him, forcing him to kneel from the pain in his head. Faces, thousands of white faces… Creatures created from Seed. Just like Ash had become. Still, there was hope if…

"Ah! I see my guests have finally arrived." Above them, Robotnik watched with a mocking grin. Grave looked up, still recovering from the burst of remembrance. "I would have thought that Metal would have slowed you down a bit more, but evidently not. Still, I'm sure you'll enjoy playing with my newest warrior Mr. Grave!"

The tank opened, and what had once been Ash stumbled out. White, furless legs supported the titanic form he had assumed. The glasses Ash once wore clattered to the ground, only to be crushed beneath a massive foot. His eyes were aglow with hellish light, red-hazed vision centered on the nearest prey. Bunnie…

…and Grave wasn't about to let anything happen to her. Stowing the Cerberus in the coffin, he leapt into the air and brought his coffin down hard. The beast blocked the attack with its forearm, countering with a punch that would have flattened any normal creature. Grave took it in stride however, vaulting over the haymaker punch like an Olympic champion and swinging the coffin around for another strike. This time its bulk caught Ash in the neck, knocking him to the ground. The blow wasn't enough to finish him off however, just enough to keep him down for a few seconds. A hidden compartment on the coffin slid open, revealing several strange looking devices… He grabbed one, removing the seal and revealing a deep red liquid inside of a syringe. With an accurate throw, the needle sunk into Ash's back and injected the fluid without problem.

"…What? What is going on here?" The mad scientist leaned forward, studying the strange happenings with his test chamber. Just what had the Wolf done?

"G-grave? What…" Bunnie edged closer to the giant, a bit fearful of its demonic form.

"Anti-Seed. He will return to normal if the change hasn't been completed."

"WHAT!" The doctor's jaw dropped. He slammed his fist down on the console, growling fiercely as Ash's new body began to return to the old. "…Darn that Fangoram! Why didn't he tell me there was a way to reverse it…? No matter. I have his DNA, so there's no need for the original!"

With the push of a button, several normally harmless gasses flooded into the chamber and mixed to form a deadly poison. The hair-raising hiss was more than enough motivation for Grave to make an exit. Jumping into the air, his coffin extended at both ends, splitting into thirds as the two end segments swung away. Braces shot out of them as Grave landed, facing the gate they had come in from. Huge rail guns extended from the ends, the twin heads of Cerberus acting as the triggers for them with the center segment of the coffin fueled them with power. Electricity crackled around the barrels before deadly bursts of light exploded from them, punching holes the size of a tank through the door.

"Woah…" Bunnie had kneeled next to the slowly normalizing Ash, trying to see if there was anything she could do, but the light and sound had caught her off guard. Robotnik too was impressed by the display of raw power, but hit it beneath an angry grimace. There was nothing more he could do.

Wordless, Grave picked up the unconscious Ash and hoisted him over his shoulder. The coffin's lights had gone out completely as it returned to its normal shape, but there was no time to notice or worry about what it meant. The two ran for dear life as the gas floated after them, threatening to envelop and strangle the life from both wolf and rabbit alike.

"Grave, do you know the way out of here!" Bunnie was yelling over the wind as the air rushed passed them, the noise almost deafening the rabbit as her boosters propelled her down the hallway. Grave gave an almost unrecognizable nod, but she trusted his instincts and questioned no further.

* * *

The battle had been a game of tag as Sonic and Metal raced around the massive complex, but the latter was slowly being worn down by the blue Hedgehog. With one last spin dash, Sonic sent the robot hard into the outer wall; so hard in fact that he broke through it. Metal crashed to the ground, weakened legs snapping upon impact with the broken earth below. Standing high above the defeated robot, Sonic gave it a satisfied smile.

"Nice seeing you again, bolt boy, but you'll never compare to the real thing. Now if I can just find… huh?"

Something caught Sonic's eye just before he left the makeshift window. There was a giant of a man pointing something at him from far off in the distance, and whatever it was had a big hole on its end…

"Holy--!" That was all the blue blur got out before diving to the side, barely evading a mammoth shell the size of his gut. Just avoiding it wasn't enough however. The round exploded on the inside wall with an enormous bang, sending shrapnel everywhere. A few pieces dug into Sonic's skin, cutting through fur and flesh alike. He cried out in pain, but managed to keep his head and stay still. The silence that followed was almost a blessing as Sonic's ears recovered from the unearthly noise. Hesitantly, he crawled up to the hole in the wall to see if his new enemy was still waiting for him. Much to Sonic's relief, the titan was gone. "What in the world was that…?"

* * *

Episode 04 – Maul / Seed fin

Episode 05 – Finality / Keeper is next. "An old nemesis. Animal and Man fight once more. Should the dead continue to live? This is a wolf's decision."


End file.
